Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

membrane and dermal irritation, both effects
being attributed to cinnamaldehyde (DE SMET
ET AL;RAVINDRAN).
An alcoholic extract of cinnamon, cinna-
mon oil, and cassia oil have shownin vitro
mutagenic activity (DE SMET ET AL.). However,
a recent test of the essential ofC. cassiafound
no mutagenic activity in the Ames test.^43
Cinnamaldehyde is also reported to have
mutagenic^44 and bothin vitro45,46(Ames test,
micronucleus test, and bone marrow chromo-
somal aberration assay) andin vivoantimuta-
genic activities.^47 Microencapsulatedtrans-
cinnamaldehyde failed to produce neoplasms
in rats after 2 years of exposure to 1000, 2100,
and 4100 ppm in their feed. Reductions in
body weights were seen in rats exposed to
4100 ppm and in mice from 2100 ppm.^48 The
oral LD 50 of cinnamaldehyde in mice is
2225 mg/kg.^49

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Cassia, cinnamon, and their bark oils have
been used either as flavors or as carminative,
stomachic, tonic, or counterirritants in phar-
maceutical and cosmetic preparations, includ-
ing liniments, suntan lotions, nasal sprays,
mouthwashes or gargles, and toothpaste,
among others.
In European phytomedicine, cassia and
cinnamon bark (2.0–4.0 g daily) or the essen-
tial oils (0.05–0.2 g daily) are used in teas and
other galenicals as antibacterial, carminative,
fungistatic; also as gastrointestinal remedies
for loss of appetite and dyspeptic disturbances
(BLUMENTHAL1;WICHTL).
Sri Lankan cinnamon leaf oil is used as a
fragrance component in soaps, detergents,
creams, lotions, and perfumes, with highest
reported maximum use level of 0.8% in per-
fumes.^50 CinnamonbarkoilandChinesecassia
oilfindlimiteduseinperfumeindustriesowing
totheirskinsensitizingproperties(RAVINDRAN).

Food. The dried inner bark of cinnamon
(C. burmanniiandC. verum), widely used as

a spice in domestic cooking and for flavoring

processed foods, is tan in color; used as an

ingredient of curry powders, mulled wines,

baked products, candies, desserts, beverages,

chewing gum, sauces, soups, pickles, canned

fruits; added to chocolate in Mexico and

Spain. The bark oil is more commonly used

in the food industry than the bark powder

owing to the more uniform flavor it imparts;

less expensive leaf oil also used in flavor

industry; eugenol derived from the leaf oil

used to prepare synthetic vanillin (RAVINDRAN).

Chinese cassia has a more powderful aroma

than cinnamon and is reddish-brown; used as

an ingredient of Chinese five-spice powder

and in flavoring beverages, confectioneries,

meat dishes, bakery products, sauces, and

pickles. The cassia oil of commerce (made

from the leaves, stalks, and twigs) is widely

used for the same purposes as the powdered

bark and is also widely used for flavoring soft

drinks and liqueurs (RAVINDRAN).

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Ground

bark widely used as flavor ingredient in nu-

merous herbal tea formulations and herbal

tonics; also in digestive and stimulant in cap-

sulated, tableted products, tinctures, and so on.

(DUKE2).

Traditional Medicine. Both cassia and cin-

namon bark have been used for several thou-

sand years in Eastern and Western cultures in

treating chronic diarrhea, flatulence, dyspep-

sia, vomiting, rheumatism, colds, abdominal

andheartpains,kidneytroubles,hypertension,

female disorders (amenorrhea, cramps, men-

orrhagia,etc.),andcancer,amongothers(BIAN-

CHINI AND CORBETTA;FARNSWORTH1;FOGARTY;

JIANGSU;NADKARNI;NANJING;RAVINDRAN).^51

Others. A major use of cinnamon leaf oil is

for the isolation of eugenol.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Bark,extracts, andoils; oilsare of various types

and qualities. Cassia oil (Chinese cinnamon

Cinnamon (and cassia) 199